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Ventriloquist
|Image=Ventriloquist_II_1.jpg |Realname=Peyton Riley |Aliases=Dollface |Identity=Public |Species=Human |Nationality=American |Base=Gotham City |Gender=Feale |Height=5'10" |Weight= |Eyes= |Hair=Blonde |Marital=Married |Occupation=Crime Boss |FirstApp=Justice League Beyond Vol. 4 Issue 005}} Ventriloquist is the second criminal to go by that name, and both of them have been heads of Gotham gang who acted not directly but through a puppet, Scarface. It is unclear whether the puppet was possessing them or was simply a prop through which their multiple personality disorders manifested. History Arnold Wesker: The First Ventriloquist The Ventriloquist name was first used by an otherwise meek, quiet man named Arnold Wesker. Born into a powerful mafia family, Wesker apparently developed dissociative identity disorder after seeing his mother assassinated by thugs from a rival family. After a barroom brawl in which he killed someone during a violent release of his repressed anger, Wesker was sent to Blackgate Penitentiary. There he acquired a ventriloquist's dummy from his cellmate. Wesker appeared to use the dummy as an outlet for his mental illness and the Scarface personality became a criminal lord not shy of doing the dirty work, including robbery and murder. Wesker is totally dominated by Scarface, who barked orders at him and degradeed him with verbal (and even physical) abuse. Wesker believed he was not mentally ill but that the doll was possessed, having been made from the wood of Blackgate's former gallows. Wesker was in and out of Arkham Asylum for the rest of his life. He died of a heart attack in his later years. Peyton Riley: Life Before Scarface Peyton Riley was the daughter of an Irish Mob boss, Sean Riley. Peyton did not have major police attention prior to her debut as Ventriloquist, being known purely for her association with other members of Gotham's gangland. She is married to Mafia godfather Johnny Sabatino though they appear to be estranged. The New Ventriloquist Peyton somehow came into possession of a Scarface doll and, whether through magical possession or mental trauma, also manifested the Scarface personality. The character and voice of the doll are much the same as before - indeed, electronic analysis showed a voice stress match with recordings of Arnold's Scarface in the high 90s. The Ventriloquist attempted to break free a host of metahuman prisoners being transferred from Blackgate Penitentiary to the new Arkham Asylum and, through explosive control collars, force them to work as muscle to help take control of Gotham City's rackets. This plan was broken up before it could truly get started, though several metahumans (including Inque) were able to escape in the chaos. The Scarface puppet was detonated at the end of this encounter with a grenade apparently built into it's head. Appearance Peyton Riley is a tall blonde woman who regularly wears "torch singer"-esque glamorous dresses. She is always made up to perfection "for Mister Scarface's sake. Though very attractive, Ms Riley has a scar on the left her face which she seeks to cover up with her hair. This scar is very similar to the one Scarface has. Scarface A puppet about two feet tall, Scarface is made of wood and resembles a 1920s gangster complete with pinstripe suit, gentleman's hat and tommy gun. A distinct scar is modelled into the right side of his face. The puppet is supposedly made from the wood of the former gallows of Blackgate Penitentiary, Evidence of the fragments of Scraface detonated in the Monarch theater suggest the latest puppet is not made of the same wood. Wesker believed the dummy was haunted and was possessing him, forcing Wesker to be an accomplice to his crimes. It is true that there was a prohibition-era gangster by the name of "Scarface" Scarelli active in Gotham, and that he was hanged in Blackgate. Combined with some odd reports of the puppets behaviour even when not manipulated by a puppeteer this does sounds as though it adds credence to Wesker's story. However, plenty of evidence suggests that Wesker was simply mentally ill; when he escaped from custody without Scarface he was later found having similarly given personalities to a sock puppet: and when he later came across the Scarface doll, the two puppets argued with each other to the point that Wesker became physically injured. Powers The Ventriloquist has no superhuman powers and must rely purely on Scarface's criminal cunning and the assistance of hired help. Riley usually carries a handgun of some kind, while Scarface carries a trademark Tommy gun. Allies & Enemies Allies * Scarface's criminal gang, a Gotham City mob. Enemies * Batman, Gotham City's metahuman protector. Category:NPCs Category:Supervillians Category:Gotham City